INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS SECTION


Capacity for Success (no more than 1 page) - Describe why this is the right kind and size of project for your school(s), and what structures, policies, and/or procedures are in place or planned that support this proposal. Include such items as: (20 Points)
• Who (describe roles, not individual names please) will be responsible for conducting the work
• What structures, resources, policies, and procedures are already in place or proposed that will support this project and/or enhance its sustainability
• Evidence that this plan is realistic and that the school has the capacity to achieve its objectives
Criteria
Capacity for Success - Describe why this is the right kind and size of plan for your school(s), and what structures, policies, and/or procedures are in place that support this plan. (20 Points)
• Have the parties responsible for conducting the work been identified?
• Are structures, resources, policies, and procedures in place or proposed?
• Is the plan realistic? Does capacity exist to achieve objectives?

Poor 0 – 6 Average 7 – 13 Excellent 14 – 20
Capacity for Success – Total Score (MAX is 20):


FOR THE GRANT


Capacity for Success


Cavendish Town Elementary School is the ideal setting for a project of this type and success is guaranteed! As evidenced by the Educational Technology Plan goal, and the very capable and enthusiastic Grade 4 teacher, the Grade 4 classroom is very ready to move from integrating technology into curriculum to a classroom that is optimizing and balancing the content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technological knowledge of the classroom teacher to move towards student centered learning within a flexible learning environment.

Technical Capacity for Success

  • Full school wireless high speed internet access is in place.
  • Teachers have had current dedicated laptops for their use since 2000 (replaced every three years)
  • Cart of wireless laptops has been available for student use since 2000 (replaced every three years)
  • Server and server management software is in place to create flexible custom configurations for mobile computing by students
  • School had purchased and acquired a wide variety of site-licensed software tools that teachers have had some experience with.(including, but not limited to word processing, graphic organizer, spreadsheet, multimedia authoring, video and sound production, web browser with links to state curriculum resources, email, messaging and conferencing capabilities)


Human Capacity for Success


Principal
Effectively communicates the value and use of technology at the school by teachers and students to:
  • School board
  • Parents
  • Superintendent
  • Other members of the Administrative Council
Encourages and supports teacher and student use of technology to enhance learning
Requires teachers to use their assigned laptops to:
  • use the district FirstClass Communication and Collaboration system to:
    • send and receive school related email
    • regularly view conference postings (memos)
    • regularly view staff calendar for school related dates and deadlines
    • maintain classroom web pages (http://ctes.wswsu.org)
  • use the district PowerSchool Student Information System to
    • record daily attendance and lunch counts
    • prepare district standards-based K-6 report card
  • use the Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress test results and web tools to precisely identify individual student instructional needs.

Grade 4 classroom teacher
  • 2006 Vermont Teacher of the Year
  • 2007 SMART Technologies Exemplary Educator
  • 2002 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics & Science Teaching
  • Vermont Fest 2007 Presenter
  • Constructivist-based classroom
  • VT Department of Education Math Network Leader since 1999
  • Masters of Education in Curriculum through the University of Vermont
  • 17 years of teaching experience, all at Cavendish Town Elementary School
  • extensive training in formative assessments through ETS
  • part of the team that wrote Vermont's Grade Expectations in Mathematics
  • Committee Member for Reviewing Test Items and Standard Setting for the NECAP in mathematics grades 3 & 4 since 2004
  • extensive training and experience with a wide variety of technology tools.
  • Private consultant in math problem solving, SMART board integration, and math portfolio scoring

Grade 4 students
  • small class size of approximately 16
  • well prepared in laptop use by Grade 3 teacher

Supporting Educational Technology Consultant
  • certified as a Apple Certified Technical Coordinator
  • Apple Distinguished Educator since 2003 (currently the only Vermont K-12 ADE)
  • worked with Cavendish Town Elementary School since 1994
  • Past VITA-Learn Board member
  • Currently member of the team assisting with the development of the Vermont State Technology Plan

Professional Development Collaborator
Jim Moulton, Educational Technology Consultant
JimMoulton.org, Inc.
Staff to the Maine Learning Technology Initiative
Faculty Associate of the George Lucas Educational Foundation
~Helping educators use technology to make a difference
in the real world of schools~
164 Starbird Corner Road Bowdoin, ME 04287
V-207-666-5686 C-207-751-7954
jim@jimmoulton.org http://jimmoulton.org

Not only would this project be successful at Cavendish Town Elementary School, but the individuals involved would be able and willing to share their experience and results across the state at conferences and forums either the old fashion way as presenters or through use of the very tools they intend to use to transform the Grade 4 classroom.